Sakazuki's Den Den Mushi fell uncontrollably from his hand; he hadn't expected Vice Admiral Tsuru to give him such a reply.
Although he felt a vague unease, at this moment, he was even somewhat afraid.
"Someone, quickly inform Fujitora Issho and tell him to go check what's happening at the nearest Marine Base."
The staff officer dared not be negligent; it was the first time he had ever seen a look of fear on Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's face.
After the staff officer ran out to deliver the message, Sakazuki could no longer contain himself. He plopped down in a chair and took a deep breath.
"What on earth happened? Marine Base and a branch collectively defected? How could such an absurd thing happen?"
Even as Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki couldn't remain calm at this moment, constantly considering all the possibilities.
After so many years in the navy, he wasn't without brains. Sakazuki thought about the events of recent years and began to have some clues, but just as he was about to recall those clues, the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
"Brubrubrub..."
Sakazuki picked up the Den Den Mushi and took it.
"Hello, this is Sakazuki."
" Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, this is Fujitora Issho. What has happened? I still have to go to the New World."
Upon hearing this, Sakazuki's face immediately darkened, and he roared loudly.
" Fujitora Issho. I am the Fleet Admiral. I order you to proceed immediately to the nearest Marine Base and investigate the situation there."
"I don't care what you were like before. Now, immediately, carry out my orders, or I'll personally wipe you out, along with your crew. Do you understand?"
At this moment, Sakazuki was truly anxious; if the timing hadn't been wrong, he would have gone there himself.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Fujitora Issho didn't speak. After a moment of silence, Fujitora's voice finally came through.
"I see!"
Sakazuki pressed the button on the Den Den Mushi, furiously wanting to burn all the disobedient creatures with lava.
"It seems the Navy needs another overhaul. If there are no problems with the base this time, then we'll teach these guys a lesson on how I became Fleet Admiral."
Sakazuki smashed the desk with a punch, then walked to the window, staring grimly at the Marine Headquarters outside, a terrifying thought suddenly popping into his head.
"What if the entire Marine Base defectes, or has already fallen into the hands of another power?"
Sakazuki picked up another cigar, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled a cloud of smoke that obscured his face, revealing a conflicted and struggling expression.
On the other side, Fujitora Issho frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Sakazuki to be so irritable this time, even threatening him.
"What on earth happened to make Sakazuki so angry?"
Fujitora Issho, somewhat puzzled, but after thinking it over, he ordered his men to head to the nearest Marine Base. There was no need to cause trouble at this point.
Fujitora Issho didn't expect that Sakazuki was serious this time; if he didn't carry out the order, Sakazuki would really take action.
If Lin Yuan knew about Sakazuki and Fujitora Issho, he would probably scoff. That's the mentality of the pirate world—someone dares to disobey the orders of a Fleet Admiral.
Moreover, each of these Admiral in the Marine Headquarters has their own ulterior motives, and regardless of whether they believe in justice or not, they are destined only for decline.
What Sakazuki and Fujitora Issho didn't expect was that, in order to avoid being suppressed by the Marine Headquarters, the base closest to the Marine Headquarters had already been deserted.
Under the leadership of the base commander, they had all gone out to sea, leaving no one behind.
And there are unexpected people waiting for them.
In the East Blue, in Foosha Village, Sengoku and Tsuru returned to Garp's old home. This time, not only did the two of them return, but the Marines who had once followed Garp also came here.
They were disillusioned with the current navy and simply chose to retire or leave the navy altogether.
Sengoku and Tsuru originally planned to stay here for a while before leaving, but the appearance of one person shocked them so much that they stared wide-eyed.
In what used to be Garp's house, Sengoku and Tsuru were discussing what Sakazuki had mentioned.
" Tsuru, you said all the Marine Base have lost contact? How is that possible?"
"Nothing is impossible. Although it's unbelievable, if what Sakazuki said is true, then there are two possibilities."
Which two?
Sengoku asked with a puzzled look, while also feeling somewhat anxious.
Vice Admiral Tsuru sighed, then began to speak slowly.
"The first is that the World Government is preparing to take action against the Marine Headquarters, aiming to completely control the Navy. As you know, they have directly appointed two Marine Admiral this time."
A flash of anger crossed Sengoku's eyes, but it quickly turned into helplessness.
"What's the other possibility?"
"Another possibility is that someone has taken control of all Marine Base, completely severing the connection between the Marine Headquarters and the bases and branches. If that's the case, the opponent's power will be extremely terrifying."
At this point, Vice Admiral Tsuru had a vague guess, but even she found it somewhat unbelievable.
Sengoku also gasped, and hesitated before speaking.
"Impossible! Is there really such a terrifying force in this world? Even the Five Emperors or the Revolutionary Army couldn't do that!"
Sengoku was a former Fleet Admiral and a "strategist"; he knew the strength of the world's major powers, something no one else could do.
Moreover, according to his estimation, even if the Five Emperors joined forces and the Revolutionary Army infiltrated, they couldn't achieve this level of success; there wasn't even a whisper of it coming.
The two remained silent for a while, also worried about the future of the navy. Although the navy had become somewhat unrecognizable to them, they had dedicated their lives to it and did not want anything to happen to it.
"Heh, as expected of Vice Admiral Tsuru and the Sengoku the Strategist, you've analyzed a clue so quickly. But even if you stay in the Navy, there's no way you'll find a solution."
"Who?!"
Just then, a hoarse voice rang out, and Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru immediately stood up, looking around warily, while their auras erupted, ready to strike at any moment.
They never expected that someone would appear in front of them so quietly.
It should be noted that although they are old, they still possess considerable strength, with the Sengoku being a particularly veteran powerhouse.
"Squeak!"
Just then, a tall figure wearing a cloak walked in.
Upon seeing the newcomers, a look of disbelief flashed in Sengoku and Tsuru's eyes.
They grew up with Garp and knew each other intimately; they could recognize each other even if the other changed his voice.
"Who are you? That bastard Garp!"
The newcomer pulled down his cloak, revealing a familiar yet aged face.
"Hahaha, old man from the Sengoku, Tsuru, long time no see!"